The former Washington School, Crown Point, Indiana. July, 2002.
This building was a very important part of my world from 1948 – 1952. Although it is now a private residence, back then it was Washington School in Center Township, the ‘farm country’ surrounding Crown Point, Indiana. (The three car garage is a modern addition.)
I attended grades 1 – 4 at Washington School. The most interesting thing about the school was that it was a two–room school. Grades 1 & 2 met in one room, while grades 3 & 4 met in the other.
My first and second grade teacher was Mrs. Isolampe. She was a formidable woman, but I liked her. In the second grade she had a reading contest — who could read the most books over a multi-week period. She started the contest by letting us go to the book shelf contra-alphabetically to pick out the book we would read. By the time my turn came all the easy books were gone, so I had to pick one of the harder books to read. This went on for a couple of weeks, but about half-way through the contest my classmates had to start reading the harder books while I had simple books I could read very quickly. I won the reading contest — one of the few times in my life when I’ve won something.
Mrs. Laney was my third and fourth grade teacher. I was pretty good at reading and arithmetic, so I could listen in on the fourth grade lessons while still in the third grade. When I was in the fourth grade Mrs. Laney had me helping third graders with arithmetic. She was one of the reasons I became a teacher. I’ve always thought there were more advantages than disadvantages to going to that two room school.
Washington School was part of my world. To see more of our wonderful world, or to join in sharing your world with us, click HERE.
Senior Moments 
January 26, 2009 at 8:54 pm |
Wow thanks for the history lesson, beautiful building.
Cheers!
Regina In Pictures
January 26, 2009 at 8:56 pm |
It’s nice to hear of a teacher inspiring a student to become a teacher..
January 26, 2009 at 8:58 pm |
And you are still a GREAT teacher—teaching me EVERYTHING I didn’t know!!!! Thanks Honey!
Love you and am Proud of you,
Wifey
January 26, 2009 at 9:03 pm |
Very interesting.I went to a one room school ,,we had grades one -eight in room.This was a rural area so the student count was about 30.
Those were the days.
Blessings,Ruth
January 26, 2009 at 9:28 pm |
Thanks for reading my posts. I’m happy that you enjoyed it. Makes the writing easier.
Hey, you remember your teachers’ names although it was a very long time ago. Good! It must be great to won something at a very tender age. Have a nice day!
January 26, 2009 at 9:39 pm |
I have seen a lot of schools turned into homes in recent years. This one looks more like a house than most do.
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January 26, 2009 at 9:48 pm |
I love that the school building isn’t sitting vacant, but that it’s now lived in and is home to someone. I also love that you were inspired to be a teacher by your teachers ~ that’s just lovely!
January 26, 2009 at 9:54 pm |
Great post and picture.
Take care and thanks for sharing your part of the world with us.
January 26, 2009 at 10:10 pm |
Hi George,
This post reminds me of my early school days. Jeep and I both attended school at Bellefontaine, MS. We had four class rooms, with 2 grades in each room. Looking back, those seem like pleasant memories. When Jeep started to school, I was in the second grade and that’ when he fell in love with me! You know the rest of the story from my blog.
Thanks for posting this!
January 26, 2009 at 10:15 pm |
I have never seen a school turned into a private residence before, George. That is really amazing. Must be grand inside.
Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with us!
January 26, 2009 at 10:18 pm |
Beautiful old building and nice, interesting commentary. I, too, went to a 2-room elementary school. Grads 1-4 in one room and 5-8 in another. I agree about learning from the other classes. But unfortunately, I only had one teacher in that period (I had 3 for the entire time) that inspired me in the direction of teaching at all.
January 26, 2009 at 11:14 pm |
Very interesting hearing your memories of school days. That must be quite a private home now, it’s a beautiful but huge building!
January 26, 2009 at 11:14 pm |
Schools remain an unforgettable part of our world! Mine is in another city, hope I will be able to go there again. It was interesting taking this trip with you, Thanks for sharing your memories.
January 27, 2009 at 12:17 am |
That was very interesting George. I had the same teacher in grades 1 and 2. She gave prizes to all that got a perfect score on Friday’s spelling test. Everyone worked so hard studying for that. I remember her telling my Mother that she had so many of us getting perfect scores, it was breaking her bank. 🙂 Maybe they should try some tactics like that, these days.
January 27, 2009 at 5:30 am |
So much fun to hear about your early years and the people who inspired you to teach. Great photo too.
January 27, 2009 at 7:10 am |
Lovely personal touch to your world. Does take us all back, whatever age,
January 27, 2009 at 8:11 am |
How cool is that?! I always went to big schools..
January 27, 2009 at 8:40 am |
There’s something to be said for those ole 2 room school houses…and the memories they bring back….I, too, attended a two-room. I had the same first grade teacher that my father had had..boy was she old and mean!! ha ha but then I probably wasn’t the little angel my parents saw either. lol
January 27, 2009 at 9:41 am |
Great building, and to see George when a lad.
January 27, 2009 at 11:01 am |
I also recall my wonderful grade school teachers. They had no idea how much they molded my life. I wish they were around so I could tell them how much they meant to me.
January 27, 2009 at 11:16 am |
What fond memories!! That school looks cozy.
January 27, 2009 at 11:20 am |
Neal and I went to an elementary school where there were two grades in one room. And I do not think it hurt us at all. We never called it and elementary school–we always just called it grade school.
January 27, 2009 at 12:03 pm |
Interesting! Rose and I went to a similar school. We went to a 4 room school with 2 grades in each room.
January 27, 2009 at 12:58 pm |
How great to take that little stroll down memory lane. It brought back some memories of my own. 🙂 I think it’s really interesting that a school is now someone’s home.
January 27, 2009 at 1:22 pm |
Sounds like you got a good education and having a teacher who encourages reading is terrific! All of my grade school teachers read to us part of the day and I still remember those books…many I would never have read on my own. I’ve always loved books and read constantly…still do, when not blogging 🙂 Both of my kids had some “split” classes and they always benefited being in with older kids, because they were smart…don’t know how it works for those who struggle more.
January 27, 2009 at 2:56 pm |
Almost like little house on the prairie. Sounds like a happy childhood:)
January 27, 2009 at 3:07 pm |
A beautiful building! And obviously full of history and stories, and good experiences for you! In my childhood we had seperate rooms for each age, as it is today. But, as you, I remember some of my teachers names, and have met acouple of them as a grownup myself. And then, they where not so old anymore……;-)
January 27, 2009 at 3:55 pm |
What a great post! It’s nice to be able to see the building you went to school still in use, even if not for a school. And even better you have fond memories of your teachers, so much so you became a teacher yourself. We need good teachers!
January 27, 2009 at 4:31 pm |
Now, that’s a good story! And to be able to see your old school & show us pics of it – fantastic!!! So, you was a teacher! Very cool!!! I love it
January 27, 2009 at 4:43 pm |
So nice to see your inspiration for becoming a teacher!!
January 27, 2009 at 4:59 pm |
That building is simply lovely though I wish the design and colour of the garage could have been more sympathetic.
Such a fascinating story..I can only remember the mean teachers.
January 27, 2009 at 5:44 pm |
what a lovely school house and great memories…….and yes the storm is coming our way only around 15 cms of snow though, so could be worse, I guess….
Gill in Canada
January 27, 2009 at 6:18 pm |
Thank you for sharing this beautiful childhood story, George! Having been a teacher for six years and still in education (though not as a teacher anymore), I really appreciate it. Teachers really exercise a lot of influence on our lives — I’m glad you were blessed with good ones.
I’m also glad they didn’t tear down your old school house and someone turned it into their home. Quite fitting, I think.
January 27, 2009 at 6:29 pm |
wonderful memories for you, thanks for sharing with us! I would love to see the inside of the school now that it is a residence. Those old schools are pretty neat.
January 27, 2009 at 6:30 pm |
Hi George,
That’s a great looking school! I’ve always wanted to have an old school as a home and renovate it. As for the Hosta’s, they really like a nice moist place to sink their roots. Mine have the sun until afternoon and they it is shade the rest of the day. Once you get them started they really grow fast. Thanks for stopping by my place. Have a great day!!
Sherrie
January 27, 2009 at 6:49 pm |
Hi George,
This looks awfully huge for just two rooms. The teacher in me thinks what a great idea it was to turn a school into a home. All that natural light through all those windows. I cringe when I see some old one room school houses rotting away.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful memories with us.
January 27, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
Great My World post! Loved seeing your school and hearing about your years there. I agree–having two grades in the same room is not necessarily a bad thing! I think the old one-room schoolhouses with several grades all together, divided by very little, actually worked well back in those early times.
January 27, 2009 at 8:56 pm |
I love this story. It says so much about how simple life used to be. School has become such a complicated place/thing.
Thanks for sharing this lovely story.
MommyWizdom
January 27, 2009 at 9:38 pm |
It sounds like you enjoyed school much more than some who went to bigger, fancier ones. I’ll bet you were a great teacher, too.
January 27, 2009 at 10:06 pm |
Nice post George, it is to one’s great advantage to explain to others as it makes our own thinking so much clearer. Often you learn more by teaching than being the pupil.
January 27, 2009 at 11:03 pm |
George, I’m very moved by your post. What a delightful memory, to be inspired at such a young age and then follow that dream. Thank you so much for sharing.
January 28, 2009 at 1:20 am |
George,
I enjoyed your elementary grade memories. Your teachers certainly left you with memories to cherish and to instill the love of books and reading is priceless.
It was my 4th grade teacher that instilled the dream of my becoming a teacher. She had us sign a poster of future teachers and I was the first to sign. She allowed me to take over some of the younger classes so the teachers could have a break. I love doing this!
January 28, 2009 at 3:57 pm |
Reading of your early school memories has me thinking of my own … recalling how ‘formidable’ and inspiring teachers seemed to me as well when I was little. How fun to meet some of them later after I’d become a teacher too ;–)
Hugs and blessings,
February 1, 2009 at 11:31 am |
George: What a neat post.
July 24, 2010 at 3:46 pm |
I too went to Washington school as a third grader…in 1966….and Mrs Laney was my teacher.
September 4, 2024 at 7:58 am |
Just stumbled on this and wanted to say I went to Washington in the 60s. Then, the classrooms were separate but still 1-4. I, too, had Mrs. Laney as a third grade teacher. Loved that school!
September 4, 2024 at 12:14 pm |
Mrs. Laney was a great teacher. I always enjoyed her class.